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Beaver

Castor canadensis (Kuhl, 1820)

Scene:

Gros Ventre Mountains, Wyoming

Background artist:

J. Robert Sewell

Beavers are mostly nocturnal but are sometimes seen at dusk. Beavers build dams to slow down the flow of water in streams and rivers and then build stable lodges for shelter Beavers may travel far from their lodges to find food and sometimes build canals from a plentiful source to float the food back to their lodges. Logs and twigs are often stored underwater for winter feeding.

Biological Information

Range:

North America (Alaska and Labrador to Rio Grande)

Habitat:

Wooded areas near lakes and streams

Status:

Formerly widespread, beavers were hunted extensively and mostly eradicated from their original habitats by the end of the nineteenth century; later affected by pollution and habitat loss but successfully re-introduced to many former habitats during the past century